1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote controller and a remote control system, and particularly, to a remote controller and a remote control system that apply a control signal to a selected apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-098780 discloses a remote control repeater, including: a plurality of remote controller signal transmitters including a dedicated remote controller signal transmitter and a remote controller signal transmitter associated with at least one controlled device; and a remote controller signal transceiver receiving a first remote control signal being transmitted and sending a second remote control signal to the controlled device. The dedicated remote controller signal transmitter includes a device transmitting a mode select signal of at least a memory write mode and a memory read mode. The remote controller signal transceiver includes memory, a device storing a remote controller signal from the remote controller signal transmitter associated with the controlled device in a prescribed area on the memory when the mode select signal is of the memory write mode, and a device reading the remote control signal from the area on the memory and transmitting it to the controlled device when the mode select signal is of the memory read mode.
According to the invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-098780, the manipulation of one remote controller allows a plurality of devices, even those at remote locations or behind obstacles, to operate simultaneously or with a certain delay.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-048467 discloses a remote control system including a device body and a remote controller realizing remote control of the device body. The remote controller converts an infrared signal into a radio wave signal and transmits it to the device body. The device body converts this radio wave signal into an infrared signal and returns an acknowledge signal for the receipt of the signal to the remote controller.
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-048467 realizes simultaneous use of a plurality of remote controllers, simultaneous manipulation of a plurality of device bodies with one remote controller, bidirectional communication between the remote controller and the device body, and checking if the signal of the remote controller has been received by the device.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-341468 discloses an electric device linked control system, including a plurality of electric devices operating in association in response to a control signal transmitted from one remote controller. At least one of the electric devices includes a reception portion receiving a control signal transmitted from a remote controller responding to a further electric device used in association with the one electric device, a transmission portion transmitting a control signal for the further electric device used in association with the one electric device to the further electric device used in association with the one electric device, and a control portion exerting control of transmitting a control signal for the further electric device when the reception portion receives a control signal for the corresponding remote controller.
The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-341468 saves users the trouble of, when they use a plurality of electric devices with remote controllers in association, operating respective corresponding remote controllers of the electric devices.
On the other hand, the inventions according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-098780, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-048467, and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-341468 involve a problem that control desired by a user cannot be exerted unless the user clearly expresses his/her intention.
Specifically, when a plurality of devices are controlled in a control system widely employed currently, it is necessary to send control signals for a plurality of times. For example, when a user leaves a room, he/she must turn off respective power supplies of all the devices, such as a television set, a videocassette recorder, an air conditioner and the like. This is very troublesome.